Falen and I met in undergrad at George Mason University and although she is younger than me she was one of those people you admire from afar (not in a stalker way lol). I always admired her courage to present & preform her poetry. I’ve dabbled in poetry and always wanted to share but never had the courage. So happy we recently connected on New Years Eve and made a toast to No Excuses, Only Execution! Happy I was able to interview her and learn more about the woman behind the poetry.

INTERVIEW

1. How old are you and what is one word that describes this age /time of your life?

I’m 22 and one word would have to be: zealous

2. How have you bloomed? What is the biggest change you’ve made in your 20’s so far?

I feel as though I’m more present in the moment and understanding of how necessary it is to foster growth. You can’t expect to plant a seed if you’re not in the garden. You have to be there, you have to do the work – that understanding is how I’ve bloomed. The biggest change I’ve made in my 20s is that I am now actively working on my dreams. I watched a play a few days ago and one line really hit home. The main character said ‘I don’t dream. I pray and work.’ I’m all about that now and it’s positively effected every aspect of my life.

3. Who or what inspired you to start writing poetry?

I’m not sure who inspired me to begin the act of writing poetry but the first time I wrote a full poem was because of a boy. Lol. I’ve always liked to write. I really love language. It’s an art in itself. I guess that form of writing just felt right to capture something so strong.

4. Who or what event in Black History has inspired you the most?

Who? Eartha Kitt. That woman had such a fiery spirit and had shown how talented she was time and time again. Transitioning from roles like Anna Lucasta to Yzma from Emperors New Groove…like this woman been that. To see a black woman be so dynamic and able to maintain grace throughout…that is everything. May she rest in love. I think Obama’s inauguration was a huge event in black history for me. I felt very attached to his success and was old enough to fully understand what it meant for me. It has emboldened me and I’m so thankful for it.

5. How do you keep up the momentum of going after your dreams?

I’m blessed to have the most supportive people around me. My loved ones know me so well and they call me on my shit. For that reason, I gotta be on track before I hear something about it. Lol

The best relationship lesson I’ve learned thus far is to play your part. When you don’t play your part, you have to hold yourself accountable and learn from it. If you’ve done your part, you’ve done enough and overcompensating won’t do anything but drain you.

7. Greatest advice you have received in your 20’s?

The greatest advice I’ve received in my 20s is to have faith. This time in our lives is so full of uncertainty. In order to move forward, sometimes you may not be able to see your next step. You may have to move on faith that you’ll get where you need to go.

8. Currently, what is your biggest hurdle & how do you plan to overcome it?

My biggest hurdle right now is finding the resources to materialize my ideas. Everything takes time and time costs money. It’s definitely not an easy process establishing yourself but nothing worth having is easy to get. I plan to overcome by being two steps ahead of my financial hurdles. We gon get it.

9. How does a sunflower/twenty something make it out the middle or embrace being in their twenties?

No one was created to be similar, we assimilate to be comfortable and avoid the challenge of creating a life custom made for us. It’s easier to fit a cookie cutter mold. Don’t take the easy way out. Challenge yourself and get uncomfortable. It will ultimately benefit you in ways comfort never could.